Gov. Kemp Signs Bill Providing Critical Illness and Long-Term Disability Benefits for First Responders

May 6, 2024

Officer Ashley Wilson, to the left of Gov. Kemp, during the memorial that honored her fallen colleague.
Officer Ashley Wilson, to the left of Gov. Kemp, during the memorial that honored her fallen colleague.

Governor Kemp signed HB 451, the Ashley Wilson Act, at a signing ceremony on May 1 at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. The new law takes effect January 1, 2025. It provides critical illness and long-term disability benefits for first responders diagnosed with PTSD arising from their work for Georgia governments.

GMA congratulates Sergeant Ashley Wilson for her courage and persistence in bringing about this law. “PTSD is treatable, and this law provides critical support to help first responders get and complete treatment. Thanks to treatment, I am a better police officer, wife, and friend than I was before I got PTSD.”

You can learn more about Sergeant Wilson’s powerful story in the video below. 

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